Toy with spherical-shaped object

ABSTRACT

A toy comprising an object ( 12 ) which performs a spherical function, such as a striker for drum. The object ( 12 ) comprises a generally spherical body ( 30 ) having surface regions ( 40, 42, 44, 46 ) which together define a spherical surface area that performs the spherical function of the object. The object ( 12 ) also has grooves ( 32, 34 , and  36 ) and throughways ( 38 ) which define air passages configured to allow for the passage of air through a child&#39;s windpipe regardless of how the object ( 12 ) is lodged therein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally, as indicated, to a toy including a spherical-shaped object.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Musical instrument toys are popular with children. Certain musical toys, such as a drum, include a spherical object for striking a percussion surface to create the desired sounds. This spherical object, commonly called a striker, is usually attached to a stick which may be held by the child to manipulate the striker. For purely acoustic purposes, the best striker geometry is a spherical shape having a diameter small enough to allow the striker to become lodged in a child's windpipe. This presents a danger of choking should the striker become separated from the stick. With musical toys, safety issues override acoustic objectives whereby, in the past, a striker was non-spherically shaped and/or oversized to prevent choking. Many other toys also incorporate spherical-shaped objects (e.g., paddle games, bowling sets, etc.) and these toys must also often compromise other objectives in the interest of safety when designing and/or sizing the spherical-shaped objects.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a toy including a spherical object that can be of a size which is swallowable by a child, as choking concerns are addressed by other than oversizing of the object. Thus, the toy need not compromise other objectives in the interest of safety when designing and/or sizing its spherical-shaped object.

More particularly, the present invention provides a toy comprising an object which performs a spherical function. The object comprises a generally spherical body having surfaces which together define a spherical surface area that performs the spherical function of the object, and air passages configured to allow for the passage of air through a windpipe regardless of how the spherical body is lodged in the windpipe. More specifically, the air passages are configured so that any diametrical plane through the generally spherical body is intersected by at least one of the air passages and the intercepted air passage(s) extends through the spherical body in a direction perpendicular to the diametrical plane. The air passageways can be formed by grooves in the surface of the spherical body and/or throughways in the spherical body.

These and other features of the invention are fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. The following description and annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these embodiments being indicative of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toy according to the present invention, the toy including a drum and a spherical object (attached to a stick) for striking the drum's percussion surface.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another toy according to the present invention, the toy including a paddle and a spherical object (attached to the paddle by a string) for bouncing against the paddle's surface.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another toy according to the present invention, the toy including miniature bowling pins and a spherical object (unattached to the bowling pins) for knocking down the bowling pins.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the spherical object.

FIGS. 4A-4D are sectional views as seen along the corresponding lines in FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the spherical object.

FIGS. 5A-5D are sectional views as seen along the corresponding lines in FIG. 5.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the spherical object.

FIGS. 6A-6D are sectional views as seen along the corresponding lines in FIG. 6.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the spherical object lodged in a child's windpipe in a first orientation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, toys 10 according to the present invention are shown. Each of these toys 10 includes a spherical object 12 which is of a size that it could possibly become lodged in a child's windpipe. For example, the spherical object 12 can be attached to a stick 14 and used to strike the percussion surface of a musical instrument, such as a drum 16 (FIG. 1) or attached by a string 18 to a paddle 20 (FIG. 2). The spherical object 12 can instead be unattached to the other components of the toy and used, for example, to knock down miniature bowling pins 22 (FIG. 3). In fact, the present invention can be applied to any toy that uses a spherical shaped object to add value, enjoyment or function to the toy.

The spherical object 12 can be of a size which is swallowable by a child (e.g., one to three inch diameter and/or two to three inch diameter), as choking concerns are addressed other than by oversizing of the object. Thus, the toys 10 need not compromise other objectives in the interest of safety when designing and/or sizing their spherical-shaped objects 12.

Referring now to FIGS. 4-6, the spherical object 12 is shown isolated from the rest of the components of the toy 10. The object 12 comprises a generally spherical body 30 which can be made of any suitable material (e.g., plastic) that provide the desired characteristics for the toy 10, is not harmful to a child if contacted or tasted, and is compatible with manufacturing processes (e.g., injection or other molding). The material of the spherical body 30 can be non-porous or otherwise non-air-passing whereby, absent the present invention, air would not be able to pass therethrough should the spherical object become lodged in a child's windpipe.

The illustrated spherical object 12 has four grooves 32, four grooves 34, four grooves 36, and two throughways 38, which, as explained in more detail below, form air passageways through the spherical body 30. The non-grooved regions of the surface area of the body 30 form surfaces 40, 42, 44, 46 and 48 which together define a substantially spherical surface area that performs the spherical function (e.g., striking, bouncing, rolling, etc.) of the object 12.

The four grooves 32 each provides an air passageway in a first direction z, which in the illustrated orientation, is from the top to the bottom of the body 30 or vice-a-versa. (FIG. 4.) The four grooves 34 also each provide an air passageway in the first direction z from the top to the bottom of the body 30. (FIG. 4.) The four grooves 36 each define an air passageway in a second direction x perpendicular to the first direction z which, in the illustrated orientation, is from side to side. (FIG. 5.) The two throughways 38 each define an air passageway in a third direction y, perpendicular to the first direction z and the second direction x which, in the illustrated orientation, is from front to back or vice-a-versa. (FIG. 6.)

The grooves 32, 34 and 36, and the throughways 38, are configured to allow for the passage of air through a windpipe regardless of how the object 12 is lodged in the windpipe. (FIG. 7.) Specifically, the air passages are configured (e.g., sized, shaped and arranged) so that any diametrical plane through the body 30 is intersected by at least one of the air passages, and preferably at least two of the air passageways. (See FIGS. 4A-4D, 5A-5D, and 6A-6D.) The intercepted air passage(s) extends through spherical body 30 in a direction perpendicularto the diametrical plane whereby air can pass therethrough.

The air passage(s) are shaped, arranged, and sized so that the intercepted air passage(s) will individually or collectively provide a suitable cross-sectional flow area through the spherical body 30 in any diametrical plane. For example, the cross-sectional flow area in any diametrical plane can be at least about 0.20 in², at least about 0.30 in², and/or at least about 0.40 in². At the same time, the air passage(s) are not so extreme as to detract from the intended spherical-shaped surface of the object 12. For example, the grooves 32, 34 and 36 can invade less than about 40%, less than about 30%, and/or less than about 20% of an analogous spherical surface area without such grooves.

One may now appreciate the present invention provides a toy 10 that need not compromise other objectives in the interest of safety when designing and/or sizing its spherical-shaped object 12. 

1. A toy comprising an object which performs a spherical function, said object comprising a generally spherical body having surface regions which together define a spherical surface area that performs the spherical function of the object, and air passages configured to allow for the passage of air through a windpipe regardless of how the spherical body is lodged in the windpipe.
 2. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein the air passages are arranged so that any diametrical plane through the generally spherical body is intersected by at least one of the air passages and wherein the intercepted air passage(s) extends through spherical body in a direction perpendicular to the diametrical plane.
 3. A toy as set forth in claim 2, wherein any diametrical plane through the generally spherical body is intersected by at least two of the air passages.
 4. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein the air passageways include at least one air passageway in a first direction, at least one air passageway in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and at least one air passageway in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.
 5. A toy as set forth in claim 2, wherein the air passageways in the first direction and the second direction are formed by grooves in the spherical body.
 6. A toy as set forth in claim 3, wherein the air passageway in the third direction are formed by a throughway through the spherical body.
 7. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein the air passageway in at least one of the directions is formed by a throughways through the spherical body.
 8. A toy as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a stick and wherein the spherical object is attached to the stick.
 9. A toy as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a musical percussion instrument which is contacted by the spherical object.
 10. A toy as set forth in claim 7, further comprising a stick and wherein the spherical object is attached to the stick.
 11. A toy as set forth in claim 10, wherein the musical percussion instrument is a drum.
 12. A toy as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a paddle and wherein the spherical object is attached to the paddle.
 13. A toy as set forth in claim 1, further comprising non-spherical objects which are unattached to the spherical object.
 14. A toy as set forth in claim 13, wherein the non-spherical objects are pins which are intended to be knocked down by rolling the spherical object.
 15. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein the spherical object has a diameter between about two inches and about three inches.
 16. A toy comprising a percussion object and a spherical object which strikes the percussion object to produce a sound; wherein the spherical object comprises a generally spherical body having surfaces which together define a spherical surface area that performs the striking function of the spherical object, and air passages configured to allow for the passage of air through a windpipe regardless of how the spherical body is lodged in the windpipe; wherein the air passages are arranged so that any diametrical plane through the generally spherical body is intersected by at least one of the air passages and wherein the intercepted air passage(s) extends through spherical body in a direction perpendicular to the diametrical plane; wherein some of the air passageways are formed by grooves in the surface of the spherical body and some of the air passageways are formed by throughways through the spherical body; and wherein the spherical body has a diameter between about two inches and about three inches.
 17. A toy comprising an object which performs a spherical function, said object comprising a generally spherical body having surfaces which together define a spherical surface area that performs the spherical function of the object, and air passages configured to allow for the passage of air through a windpipe regardless of how the spherical body is lodged in the windpipe; wherein the air passages are arranged so that any diametrical plane through the generally spherical body is intersected by at least one of the air passages and wherein the intercepted air passage(s) extends through spherical body in a direction perpendicular to the diametrical plane; wherein the air passageways include at least one air passageway in a first direction, at least one air passageway in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and at least one air passageway in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction; wherein some of the air passageways are formed by grooves in the surface of the spherical body and some of the air passageways are formed by throughways through the spherical body; and wherein the spherical body has a diameter between about two inches and about three inches. 